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Waiting for results. Anyone else have onset symptoms similar?

Posted , 6 users are following.

StyreneOxide
StyreneOxide

Hello everyone, I need some input. 

My story: I have been waking up with pain in my pinky since late october. I was doing a lot so I didn’t think much of it. Then I had pain in my ankle and some stomach issues. A friend convinced me to test for celiac disease because I recently had a baby. It was negative. A few days later the pain and very minor swelling goes away.  A few weeks later it comes back then goes away again. Then again it come back, but in my index and pinky. My index looked fat and was pretty stiff and sore, but not super painful. It took longer to go away this time. Anyways skip to mid December and I had pain in pinky, index, shooting pains in middle and shooting pains on the other hand. It lasted even longer and seemed to go away when I had a cold. Oh  I forgot to mention that on and off I felt like I was coming down with something. That pre sickness feeling. Then cold goes away and pain comes back. Now I get twinges in elbows, ankles, knees, but nothing lasting.

I went to the doctor he looked at my fingers and said my joints look bigger than the other hand and took blood. He said if I have anything funny with blood results that he will send me to a rheumatologist, but he said if it looked normal then maybe do some images and if nothing shows he might think it’s anxiety. 

Anyways I have had reactive arthritis and the pain was excruciating to the point of passing out and nearly vomiting. This pain is so mild.

Has anyone had such mild symptoms?

Is it possible to cause these things with anxiety?

I don’t feel overly anxious. Especially not before these weird pains started. 

 

Sorry I typed this up really fast. 

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • carol303055
    carol303055 StyreneOxide

    Posted

    Hi there, sorry I couldn’t quite work out your name.  

    Anxiety! Of course it is. You’re a woman and just had a baby!!!  Sorry, I’ll behave now.   My symptoms were a bit bizarre too. They would come and go.  I started with quite severe pain in one shoulder (at church, Sunday) and I couldn’t move it, up, out, behind me.  Wednesday/ Thursday gone. Following Sunday , the exact same but the other shoulder. I felt daft even mentioning it.  And it went 3/4 days later. Then my fingers swelled and went down after a few days but not all at the same time.  Wierd or what? And they looked like pork sausages, honestly.  At least your doc is doing your bloods with a view to referring you. Hope you get some answers soon.  Good luck. Carol

    • StyreneOxide
      StyreneOxide carol303055

      Posted

      Hello Carol, 

      Thank you for responding. My index finger still doesn’t look thin like it used to. It kind of always looks like a pork sausage. When did you go to the doctor and did you have positive results? Did your shoulder feel like it was sprained? My ankle and knee sometimes feel sprained, but it goes so fast that I can’t tell what is going on. I will get my results in a day or so. I am a bit concerned that my doctor will play it off as anxiety if it’s negative. I feel like there has to be some other cause even if not RA. 

    • carol303055
      carol303055 StyreneOxide

      Posted

      Hi, I went to the GP quite soon because the flitting nature of the pain and swelling made me suspicious. It took a while for the fingers to go down completely as I remember, it was about 6 years ago, but I remember worrying I couldn’t get my rings off. My blood tests were positive.  Sometimes my ankles and wrists definitely feel sprained even now though I’m pretty well controlled at the moment. I remember having to get help to lift anything with any weight from the oven or struggle picking up my young grandchildren. I don’t think anxiety is a cause but deal with that if you have to. Just push for a referral. Good luck x
    • StyreneOxide
      StyreneOxide carol303055

      Posted

      Diaper changes, baby pajamas, and my toddlers dress up snaps and buttons are the worst right now. I nearly lost it because I couldn’t thread a needle. 

      The thing is I don’t feel overly anxious. My doctor thinks so because I get anxious in doctors offices. Also I was hospitalized and he saw me panicking all the time because I didn’t speak the language at the hospital. I didn’t know what was going to happen. 

      I’m glad you are controlled. What are you doing for it? 

    • carol303055
      carol303055 StyreneOxide

      Posted

      It must be really difficult with a young baby. The tiredness as well. But I have managed to look after my grandchildren 1 and 2 years  old. I am 62. Like most people seem on this forum I have been on a range of medications. I now have a weekly biologic injection and I do take prednisolone (an oral steroid). As Timothy says you can hear some scary stories about the drugs and I’ve had some bad experiences myself but he’s right about trying till you find what’s right for you. I also love the relief from steroids. I feel I could jump over the rooftops but they’re certainly not without problems either and I take bone protection too. I am currently on a reducing dose of steroids. The biologic is the second I’ve tried (Benepali/ Etanercept) and a biologic isn’t the first line.  If you are diagnosed I would  expect you to start other meds first. They all need very close monitoring and supervision.  Let’s hope you don’t need them though you can get good relief. Very best wishes. Carol 
  • timothy11402
    timothy11402 StyreneOxide

    Posted

    Mine started with pain in the soles of my feet when I stood up to walk, which went away in a few minutes of walking. Then I would lose the skin on my elbows. One day, the large knuckles on both hands suddenly felt very painful as if someone dropped a piano on them. Went to my doc that day and he sent me immediately to a rheumatologist. He diagnosed me on the spot, even before the blood tests were completed. Now I have palindromic RA. That means the pain can take up residence in my right knee for a couple of weeks, then disappear to live in my left ankle and right hand. Sometimes the pain is bilateral, sometimes not. I have had inflamed tendons, inflammation of the cartilage that attaches to the ribs (that one took months to go away). So do I think you have RA? Probably. But a good rheumatologist can be of immense help. Not a GP, but an actual rheumatologist.

    If you should start any meds, don't be influenced by those who might scare you off about side effects. Only you can judge whether a med is giving you trouble. Most people tolerate their RA meds very well.

    Good luck to you.

    Tim

    • StyreneOxide
      StyreneOxide timothy11402

      Posted

      Hello Timothy, 

      I know how the piano on the hands feels like. When I had reactive arthritis I hopped into the ER convinced that I had broken my ankle without realizing. It’s such a horrible feeling. 

      Did you have positive blood results? 

      Does palindromic RA cause damage? 

      Do you have normal periods that your body feels 100% normal? 

      I get pain in my finger sometimes it hurts between the joints did you feel that too? 

    • timothy11402
      timothy11402 StyreneOxide

      Posted

      My initial blood test was not positive. But I read that it is only a matter of time before it becomes positive.

      Palindromic RA can cause joint damage unless aggressive treatment is done. Aggressive treatment refers to treating the RA immediately with drugs. They used to wait before finally treating with drugs

      I would say I have periods during which I feel 99% normal. I'll take that.

      It no longer surprises me where pains DO show up. Sometimes it so sudden and severe that I give out a yelp. 

      BTW, I keep a short course of prednisone handy in the event I get a severe outbreak. Perhaps once a year I use it. But you have to refill the prescription after 9 or 10 months (if you have not used it) because it loses potency. My rheumatologist readily gives me a prescription when I ask for it. Again, I only take it when I feel particularly rotten and what a relief it is. Makes me feel like I am twenty again and I have energy for days and NO PAIN. I find that kind of pain to be exhausting when I get a bad flare-up.

      All the best,

      tim

    • Nu2this
      Nu2this StyreneOxide

      Posted

      Hi styrene,

      Go with your gut. You know your body better then any doctor. I was told i had a little crazy in me by my Gastrologist because i was having issues swallowing because of dry throat. It wasn't until my Rheumotologist asked him to perform additional procedures because he thought their was an underlying condition that he(gastro) took me more seriously as a patient. Turns out I have tested positive for RA. Many of us are baffled by our own symptoms because they are ever changing but be presistant. Its not the baby if your joints hurt..i had 2 and that not part of child birth . Good luck and let us know how everything turns out. I hope its a negative results and it will pass. God bless

  • Divya2006
    Divya2006 StyreneOxide

    Posted

    My wife saw rheumatologist 4 months ago. After doing blood test,x rays of both wrists and finally MRI of left wrist was diagnosed with RA and dr is prescribing methotrexate 10mg once a week to start with and down the road add biologicals. My wife had TKR surgery done because of osteoarthritis,I suppose,(right kee,2008,left knee 2017). Except mild pain in her both wrist,she does not have any other physical symptoms of RA. MRI of left wrist shows erosive changes and sinovitis. 

    She had hypo thyroidism for 6-8 years, was taking levothyroxine and last few years she developed hyperthyroidism and been taking methimazole for that since last 4months. 

    Really wondering wether she should start methotrexate as per rheumatologist's advice. 

    She is 66 years old,does yoga and stretching exercise regularly and overall in good health. 

    Any one has any suggestion,inputs ?

    I just joined this forum today and meant to put this as regular post,NOT as answer. Sorry. 

    • carol303055
      carol303055 Divya2006

      Posted

      Hi Ben, I would personally say I wouldn't take methotrexate for mild wrist pain. If it can be controlled with other meds I would go with that. However, I would say she may be glad of it in the future so it may be a case of deferring till a later date. I wasn't pressured to start methotrexate till I was ready and then I got relief. I later did have significant side effects so had to stop though many people use it with no problems. Good luck. Carol 

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